The current status of robotic surgery for endometrial cancer in Japan.

The da Vinci® surgical system (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was approved in 2009 by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. In gynecology, robotic surgery for hysterectomy for benign indications and early-stage endometrial cancer has been covered by National Health Insurance since 2018. In a context where the da Vinci surgical system has prevailed in urology departments in Japan, gynecological robotic surgery has spread rapidly once it was covered by insurance. Although minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (minimally invasive surgery, or MIS) in Japan has a specific context, there are several problems with its safety, surgeon education, and cost in Japan. To maximize the many advantages of robotic surgery, its effectiveness needs to be carefully evaluated and this new technology needs to be safely incorporated in practice.

Vascular Access and Diagnosis of Venous Thrombosis.

Ultrasonography is useful not only for screening, but also for evaluating pathological conditions and followup because it can be performed repeatedly and noninvasively at bedside. This paper discusses the importance of the functional assessment of vascular access, as well as the examination method and points for diagnosis of venous thrombosis.

Congenital absence of inferior vena cava with azygos continuation revealed by vascular echo in a patient with pulmonary thromboembolism and deep vein thrombosis: a case report.

A 44-year-old man with an isolated anomaly of azygos continuation of the inferior vena cava (IVC) presented with dyspnea due to pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and deep-vein thrombosis (DVT). Sono-graphic examination disclosed not only pulmonary hypertension and DVT, but also infrahepatic interruption of the IVC with azygos continuation. A rare anomaly of azygos continuation of IVC could cause DVT and PTE. Vascular echo could play an important role in the examination of DVT and/or venous anomalies.